Jeffrey likes to cook but doesn't get the opportunity to do that when he's away at school. This works out well for us because it means that he looks forward to cooking when he's at home. On Friday night, he made a delicious curried pork for Frank and me. It was an unplanned dish since stores were closed due to the holiday. He pulled a few items out of cupboards, fridge and freezer and before we knew it, dinner was served.
On Sunday night - Jeffrey's birthday, he cooked a delicious feast for his Dad, brother Alex and me. First on the menu was salad with lettuce, watercress, basil, tomatoes and green onions with a dressing made of fresh grapefruit juice, lemon juice, olive oil and seasonings. It was followed up with lamb, peppers and mushroom kabobs, maple glazed salmon barbecued on a cedar plank, and if that wasn't enough, gigantic meatballs cooked with onions, tomatoes and wine. How many people do you know who consider it a luxury to cook for others on their own birthday?
Earlier that afternoon, we had a lovely brunch at our most gracious hosts Amanda and Colin's home. Amanda and my boys are second cousins which would make her wee ones second cousins once removed. Her adorable kidlets are featured in some of the photos below.
Easter eggs, both real and chocolate decorated the dining table.
And decorated this face. "No, I didn't eat any chocolate. Why do you ask?"
Her brother seemed more interested in this sucker - after all there's one born every minute. 
The birthday 
His handsome brother, Alex in a pensive moment.
And speaking of pensive moments.. what a face!
After brunch, there was a request by Ms. Chocolate Face for Alex to play guitar, so he borrowed Amanda's instrument and obliged. He had a little bit of help. 
Quite a bit, in fact.
Shortly afterward, a couple of the men got into a bit of a standoff. Don't they look tough?
Someone was in top fashion with her lovely Easter chapeau.
It was a lovely afternoon spent enjoying family, fine food and good music. Thanks, Amanda and Colin, and the tiny cousins...
It was eggceptional!
62 comments:
Chocolate face is so cute. Looks like you had an eggcellent celebration.
oh wow...such beautiful faces...love the sucker one!
Wow....she is gorgeous. They all are. And what a chef you have there!
Very colourful pics, and that chocolate face is magnificent.
Lovely portraits...you make it look so easy to get in close to children and capture their spirit!
Sweet, sweet, sweet. And I'm not referring to the candy and chocolate!
Cuzzie P
Such beautiful portraits!! Love the chocolate face!! Such wonderful memories for you and your family. So nice to be able to share time like that.
Hugs
SueAnn
I really enjoyed seeing these Hilary. What a beautiful family you have.
looks like a wonderful time!
love the eggs : )
What handsome sons you have! The little ones are precious!!!! Love all the Easter pictures! I have 3 boys around the same ages! So glad I stumpled upon your blog!
HUGS,
Coreen
Eggceptional indeed .. I love the shot of Jeffrey leaning forward and Alex's hair behind him makes it appear as if Jeffrey has a weird version of a mohawk happening ..
Your little cousins are beyond sweet
Eggceptional pictures of a trul handsome family. WOW!
Tiny Cousins. Cool. Such nice photos of the family. What a treat to have someone in the family who likes to cook and it sounds like gourmet meals.
I've always wondered how children manage the ring around the mouth. My own are no better - I'd swear they just took their food and slammed it into their faces, letting whatever goes in be eaten and wearing the rest. Yet I've watched them eat and they don't do that. They appear to be eating like regular people but then, at the end of the meal - the ring.
I would say the music of children's laughter would be appropriate, here. Or perhaps Children, Children from Wings' London Town.
Hilary: So wonderfully captured, you have a great eye for people photos.
What a wonderful holiday weekend! Nice to have the chef home isn't it?
I love the new header ~ it gives your blog a different personality. I am a huge fan of your nature photography but your photos of human beings are equally incredibly eggcellent. Looks like you are surrounded by beautiful people ~ enjoy!!
Looks and sounds like everybody had a tasty time. :)
Delightful!
Those are the BEST photos, Hilary. What a handsome family...eggceptional, indeed!
Simply eggsquisite too. :)
I love how most kids, given the chance, will try to play an instrument. We almost all have that instinct to make beautiful noise.
Isn't it nice to have a son who loves to cook? He sounds very talented.
Love those little chocolate lips too!
wow Jeffrey looks so grown!!
and everyone is so beautiful :)
what a great weekend
What a wonderful Easter with all the trimmings! Your son could cook at my house anytime! He sounds like quite the gourmet chef! Love the chocolate face on Ms. Chocolate and everything looking so Easter!
What lovely photographs. Your sons are so 'beautiful' and those little ones are so cute. Thanks for sharing these Hilary.
• Steve, we did indeed. Thanks. :)
• Brian, they're cuties, eh?
• MPM, she has a personality to match. Thanks for stopping by. :)
• Thanks, Leah. Kissable even in that state, eh? :)
• Tabor, thank you so much. What a nice thing to say. :)
• Cuzzie, my guys lucked out. They have great cousins on both sides of the family. :)
• Thank you, SueAnn. I'm glad you stopped by to share in the festivities. :)
• Ellen, thank you kindly. :)
• Thanks, Sarah. They're a creative wee bunch. :)
• Velvet, welcome and thank you very much for the kind words. I'm glad you stumbled in too, and hope you'll be back again soon. :)
• Thanks, Daryl. That's a hilarious observation. I just pointed it out to Alex and we both had a good laugh over what we perceived Jeffrey's reaction would be. ;)
• Thank you kindly, Moannie. I'm glad you stopped by for a visit. :)
• TechoBabe, thank you. It was a treat to have someone cook for us and all I had to do was give birth to him 23 years prior. ;)
• Cricket, that's so true. You can always see the bathtub ring coming but not that food ring around those beautiful mouths. It sure is a pleasure to know that they're really enjoying their food. Another fine soundtrack. Thank you. :)
• Fishing Guy, thanks very kindly. :)
• Maggie Gem, it sure was, thank you. :)
• Deb, thank you so much. Your kind words me a lot to me. Very much appreciated. :)
• Yup, Frank. We did. :)
• Thanks, Messymimi. :)
• Thanks very much, Cheryl. I'm glad you think so. :)
• Thank you, Maggie. Much appreciated. :)
• Suldog, you're so right about that - I can't think of a single child who doesn't show an interest in that form of expression. Thanks for stopping by. :)
• Steviewren, it's very nice. I just wish he lived closer to home. Thanks for your visit. :)
• Dianne, they do have a way of growing up on us when we glance away for a moment, don't they? Hang onto Hope's little hand, willya? :)
• Redbush, it was indeed a lovely time. Our hosts put on a wonderful spread. And yes, Jeffrey is a very creative cook. Thanks for stopping by. :)
What wonderful memories you made this Easter. Family, friends and good food...what more can you ask. It's so great that your son loves to cook, and apparently does it very well. You are a talented family.
Jeffery is quite a cook. He does good things to eat. Your photos are actually portraits and they are very good. It looked like a great family time together.
Beautiful... Absolutely beautiful... The faces, the food, the fellowship, the love.
Eggceptional indeed! What a wonderful day you had ... I can feel it through your gorgeous pictures! So beautiful. I don't really enjoy cooking on a daily basis, let alone on my birthday ... your son is a TREASURE!!!!
What an unusual post from you, in a VERY good way. You almost always share a lot of nature pictures, of animals, flowers, trees or buildings. It was truly wonderful to see a more personal images depicting your close family.
Beautiful photography, you captured the inner aura of your family members.
I loved it!
xo
Zuzana
Your photographs are what the holidays are all about, a whole latte joy!
Lovely pictures....beautiful children....handsome sons.
Thanks for sharing your day with us.
family at its best! thanks for sharing - what handsome sons and gorgeous kidlets!
Wonderful pictures and it lools like you had a fun time. Your son sounds like a great cook. Happy belated birthday to him!
"Chocolate? What chocolate?" Can so relate to that one! Gorgeous pictures. Thank you for sharing your marvelous weekend--and yummy meals! You have two very special sons.
Some great shots and it looks like your weekend was filled with family and love. Congratulations, what's better than that? Nothing I can think of, except doing what you did, recording it for posterity.
That is what I'd call a good holiday.
Oh how I've enjoyed visiting with your family and what a terrific family you have! Did you gain 10 pounds from Jeffrey's efforts in the kitchen? I could just eat that "no thanks no chocolate for me" face right up! Great job as usual with the pictures and enjoy your boy whilst he is home!
hugs
Sandi
what a treat to see your lens turned toward your family. you've captured them as beautifully as you do the natural world around you. thanks for sharing them with us.
Hilary,
These are great family photos. So nice you could all be together making happy memories! You have a good lookin' family! :) The Bach
GREAT PICS! Happy Belated Birthday to Jeffery! I'm hungry after this, got to get a bite of breakfast! :)
Great photos, Hilary! And any time your son wants to celebrate his birthday at MY house, he's more than welcome!! (Just tell him to send his ingredients list along prior to his visit, so I can have everything he requires to make me a grand feast!) hehehehe
Send Jeffrey over to us, please!
What a lovely weekend with a truly beautiful family!
what a nice day that must have been. curried pork...mmmmm.
glad you had such a magical Easter.
Bless your beautiful family.
Aloha from Waikiki
Comfort Spiral
Your photos are delightful. I love the one of the three at the guitar. Just incredible.
Such treasures, the people, the photos, the life lines.
Thank you for letting us into your world, inside.
sorry it has taken me awhile to get here
Oh Hilary, What a wonderfully happy post! It looks like a perfect time was had by all.
Thanks for sharing your family with us.
Happy weekend,
jj
• Thank you, Linda. We're lucky that he likes to cook but unfortunately he's only home a few times a year. Still, I'll take what I can get and enjoy it immensely. Thanks for your kind words. :)
• Larry, thanks very much. We had a lovely time. :)
• KC, thank you kindly. Much appreciated. :)
• Kelly, thanks so much. He is indeed. I like cooking but I prefer if someone else does the cleanup. ;) Thanks for stopping by. :)
• Zuzana, thank you so kindly. It was a bit different for me. Those kidlets were very photogenic and I wanted to share their cute faces. I'll have to try to remember to include some people pics more often. Thanks so much for your supportive comments, my friend. :)
• Joanne, I'm glad you enjoyed them. Thanks for stopping by. :)
• Hilary, thanks for joining me and for your very kind words. :)
• Pauline, thanks kindly. Always a pleasure to share. :)
• LadyCat, thanks very much. We did indeed have a fun time. Thanks for your visit.
• Thank you, DS. We have two great sons. I'm glad you enjoyed the photos. Thanks for stopping by. :)
• Scott, thank you so much for you kind and encouraging words. Very much appreciated. :)
• Agreed, Cabo. Thanks for your visit. :)
• Sandi, were you peeking when I stepped on the scale? Thanks so much for your kind words. :)
• Lime, thank you so much for such kind words. They're an easy bunch to photograph. Those beautiful wee faces so easily make the bigger faces smile. All I had to do was click! :)
• Bach, thanks very kindly. It was a great time. Thanks for stopping by. :)
• Carol, thank you so much. I hope you enjoyed your brekkie. :)
• Baggie, I'll bet he could make a career out of it... The Traveling Chef! You might be onto something he can do when his military days are done. ;)
• LadyFi, right after Bag Lady (comment above yours). I think I'll look into being his agent. Thanks for the kind words. :)
• Clowncar, thanks so much. I'm glad to share it with you. :)
• Aloha, Cloudia and thank you kindly. :)
• Sandy, thanks very much. Nice new profile photo! :)
• Deb, thank you for joining me. I'm glad you enjoyed it. :)
• Joanna, thanks very much. I'm always happy to have you along to share. :)
Hilary, not sure if you subscribe to comments,
so , thanks for the boot love ~ they are my daughters, and from Walmart.
and it was such silliness trying to hold a too small umbrella and change the two lenses I have.
I came home quite disappointed as it ended up pouring most of the time, and even the birds were not impressed.
But when I uploaded them, such a sweet surprise!
You just never know.
I have to return to the area and try again though.
It's a park with trails so near where I live, and shame on me for never having ventured there.
have a great weekend, and looking forward to you sharing with us!
What great photos and memories you've captured! Love the blog!
What lovely fun! I can hardly wait until my little ones are old enough to go on an Easter Egg hunt, and to dye eggs all those lovely colours! So nice that your two sons were home and able to enjoy the holidays with you all.
Holidays and family, does it get any better?
Jeff cooking dinner for his birthday is so awesome. What a feast. A precious time and precious pictures.
Like the choc lips, she didn't come to kiss you did she?
Where abouts are you? Near to Windsor? I was there in the mid 70s at Windsor Uni. Always wanting to meet someone from there.
• Deb thanks for the reply. I do subscribe to comments, often. Thanks so much for explaining. :)
• Thanks very much, Tanya. Totally appreciated. :)
• Thanks kindy, Shammie. It won't be too long before those little ones will be participating. Thanks for stopping by. :)
• Thanks very much, Sue. I have great kids. I'm very lucky. :)
• Thanks, Ann. No, she didn't zero in for a kiss but I wouldn't have minded if she had. :) I'm in Mississauga which is just west of Toronto, so about 4 hours from Windsor. Thanks for stopping by. :)
Great photos that I missed earlier for some reason or other.
Probably when MY family were with me.
Lovely to all get together for Easter.I feel sure you had a brilliant one.
Nuts in May
Another wonderful blog Hilary. So nice to meet your family. I loved the kidlets specially... - Dave
A beautiful family...
Oh, indeed it looks like most fun celebration. All having a good time, good food. I love when my son cooks for us - face it I love when anyone cooks for me, but one of my own, the food tastes so much better. Glad you had a good Easter. I colored eggs, too. Don't know if I'll ever give that up.
• Maggie May, thank you so much. I'm glad you didn't miss it after all. I always enjoy your blog visits. :)
• Dave, thank you kindly. I'm glad you could join me. :)
• Cedar, thanks kindly. :)
• MJ, I could get quite spoiled by having my son cook for me. I can see why you would too. And the food tastes even better still if someone else also cleans up! Thanks for the visit. :)
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